Fads: Believe It or Not, they are a Business

Slinky (1945)When he was 26, Richard James of Philadelphia

invented the Slinky. It consists of 87 feet of flat wire coiled into 3-inch-diameter circles and stands about

2 inches high when stacked. The Slinky's ability to “walk” down stairs and open and close like an

accordion made it a favorite toy during the 1950s, and it is still popular today.

Silly Putty (1944)

Chemists at General Electric working with silicone stumbled across this material that

can be kneaded, bounced, and stretched. In 1949, Peter Hodgson thought it would

make a great toy. After an investment of $150, Hodgson sold 1-ounce bags of putty in plastic eggs. It was an instant success. Millions of eggs of Silly Putty have been

sold and continue to sell to this day.

Hula Hoop (1958)

Arthur Melin and Richard Knerr, founders of the Wham-O Toy Company, took an idea from

Australia, where gym students exercised using

bamboo hoops, and turned it into the biggest fad of all

time. More than 25 million had been sold only four

months after it was introduced.

Mood Rings (1975)

Mood rings were made of heat-sensitive liquid crystals encased

in quartz. When the body temperature of the wearer

changed, the crystals changed color, supposedly indicating how the wearer felt at the moment. Joshua Reynolds, a 33-year-old

New Yorker, created and marketed the original mood ring.

Pet Rock (1975)

More than a million people bought Pet Rocks as Christmas gifts in 1975. Gary Dahl, of Los Gatos, California, had the idea while joking with friends about his easy-to-care-for pet, a rock.

By 1976, Gary Dahl was a millionaire and Pet Rocks were the nation's favorite pet. Gary walked away with $15 million. Sold for

$3.95

Rubik’s Cube (1977)

By 1980, more than 100 million Rubik's Cubes had been sold around the

world, as well as another 50 million “knock-off” cubes not authorized by

Rubik. The Cube led to a mini-industry with some 50 books published

explaining how to solve the puzzle. Though its popularity has declined,

one can still purchase Rubik's Cube at toy stores today.

Chia Pet

Some notable Chia Pets1982 – Chia Ram1993 – Chia Bunny, Turtle2002 – Scooby-Doo,

Shaggy and Homer

Tickle Me Elmo (1996)There was no escaping Elmomania. The original retailed for $28.99, but

limited supply and pangs of parental inadequacy

drove up the price. Classified ads popped up

across North America, asking hundreds of dollars

for the must-have toy

TamagotchiBandai sold these virtual pets

in 1996. You could fed them, play with them, care and punish them. They also would run away. They sold

for around $20 to $30 each. Bandai sold over 70

million of these toys. There was also video games, films and an

animated series around these pets.

Silly BandzThese shape-shifting silicon wristbands rose rapidly to popularity in 2010. Creator Robert Croak noted that his business grew tenfold within six months, as the company's shipments to retailers skyrocketed from 20 boxes a week to 1,500. That's millions of bracelets

SnuggieWhen it was introduced in 2008, the Snuggie -- a blanket with sleeves -- endured ridicule from Jay Leno, Ellen Degeneres and the YouTube community at large. But for the Snuggie, no press was bad press, and the product took off during the 2008 holiday season. By the end of 2010, 25 million Snuggies had been sold, one for about every 12 residents of the United States.Made By: Allstar Products Group (Hawthorne, NY)

Crazy BonesThese mini figurines and the game that accompanies them enjoyed a surge in sales in the late 1990s. Between 1998-2000 over 31.5 million packages of the toys were sold. Another 23 million figurines were sold in the UK and Spain after a relaunch in March 2008.Made By: Catalan company Magic Box Int, part of Martomagic

Koosh BallsAfter its introduction in 1987, Scott Stillinger's rubberband ball hybrid became a must-have hit during the 1988 holiday season. After moving 50 million Koosh balls, Stillinger sold his company OddzOn to Russ Berrie and Company Inc., which eventually sold for more than $100 million units in 1997. Toy manufacturer Hasbro now handles Koosh ball production.

Made By: OddzOn Products, Inc. (Napa, California)

FurbyDuring the 1998 holiday season, the Furby -- the endearing, yet creepy talking furry friend -- was selling out everywhere. Riding its popularity through the late '90s, 40 million Furbies would end up in homes around the world. Hasbro is currently planning a high-tech comeback for the Furby later this year.

Made By: Tiger Electronics (Vernon Hills, Illinois) before being taken over by Hasboro

Baby on Board Bumper StickersInspired by a terrifying car ride Michael Lerner had in Boston with his 18-month-old nephew in 1984, "Baby On Board" bumper stickers began selling 500,000 stickers per month within the product's first nine months, and brought deals with Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart and Kmart. By 1999, with sales at $158 million, Lerner would eventually sell the Safety 1st company.

Made By: Michael Lerner and Safety 1st (Boston), acquired by Canadian company Dorel Industries Inc. in June 2000